This Abbey is a Prison
by LameJokeGuy
Summary: A story about Seles's terreblie life sealed in the Abbey with no escape. No Flames Please.
1. Chapter One: The Abbey

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or anything Namco related. I wish I did though.

Note: I did not make this **Koeji** did. I posted it because I felt awful for not offering any stories. Also this place needed more Selesfics.

The boat rocks back and forth in perpetual motion. Outside my window, salty foam lashes against the glass. It looks like a giant claw, constantly pounding against the window, whispering, "Let me in, let me in." I pull the bucket a little closer with every wave we pass over.

I am Seles Wilder, half-sister of Zelos, the Chosen One. I am here to live out what my mother has left for me.

Chapter One: The Abbey

"Miss Wilder?" I open my sleepy eyes, but all I see is a hazy figure outlined in golden sunlight. I feel so sick…nauseous. I can almost feel my skin turning green. I reach for the bucket again, already filled to the brim with my own vomit.

"Miss Wilder?" the voice says again. I hold up one finger and vomit once more. I've gotten used to the feeling; the liquid rushing up my throat, my tongue getting hints of everything eaten in the past two days. My sickly condition makes it a way of life. It's a sickly ritual, but one I have known my whole life.

"Miss Wilder, we've reached land." I nod and get up. My legs feel like wet noodles; I fall into the sailor's arms. He wraps my arm around his shoulder and steadies me.

The bright sunlight is an unwelcome sight to my eyes. I raise my arm to block it as a second sailor sets my handbag beside me.

"Welcome to the Southeastern Abbey!" A young priestess approaches us. She brushes a long strand of brown hair from her eyes and adjusts her glasses. Her hat and robe are blue and gold, adorned with the symbol of the Church of Martel. "You must be Miss Wilder."

"Yes," I mumble. The SE Abbey, as they called it on the ship, is a quaint little church. A small circular stained-glass window hangs above the door, with a battered wooden cross on the red shingles. It is falling apart; many of the shingles are curling up, and there is a small pyramid of yellow bricks that have fallen out of the building.

"Please bring your things," the young priestess says as she turns toward the abbey. I pick up my handbag and straighten my hat as I follow the girl. "Right this way."

The inside of SE Abbey is worse than the outside. Lots of tangled ropes and blankets hang from the ceiling. The pews are covered in a fine coating of dust and sand. How many people have been here?

The priestess leads me up a dusty winding staircase until we reach a solitary room at the very top of the abbey. There is one window overlooking the sea. A small table with two dusty wooden chairs sits in the corner, and a bunk bed is placed against the wall.

"Enjoy your stay," the girl says, already halfway down the stairs. I place my handbag and hat on the table and turn to the window. I can see the ship on the horizon as the wind rustles my scarlet hair.

While looking at this perfect scene, only two things go through my mind: that this is what my mother has left me, and that this is not an abbey; it's a prison.


	2. Chapter Two: Desolate

Chapter Two: Desolate

How many days have passed since I arrived on this cursed island? The rain falls steadily outside; the sky is the same color as my life.

I lay in bed day after day, watching the spiders crawl in from outside my window. I am no longer an inhabitant of this room; I am this room. The same as the table and chairs. An inanimate object; I have no emotions. I am unmoving; the only shred of humanity that I hang onto is eating. But once I stop breathing, I will be this room, in name as in reality.

The priestess, Claudia, insists that we walk every day; "To keep my strength up," she says. But what good is life when your soul is dead?


	3. Chapter Three: Royal Treasure

Chapter Three: Royal Treasure

"Miss Wilder?" I am shaken awake by Claudia. I attempt to wiggle my toes under the thick blanket; too thick for the middle of May.

"Miss Wilder, I bear an invitation from His Royal Highness the 18th. He requests your presence at the Meltokio Castle this afternoon." She says. I am wide awake now.

"I'll go," I say. I push back the blanket and drag my legs over the edge of the bed. Claudia hurries to get my cane from the corner. My latest illness has weakened my legs; it is a struggle to even walk toward the window.

As I lean over to get my shoes, I lose my center of balance on my cane. My forehead bounces off the tea table and hits the hard, cold cement. 

"Miss Wilder!" Claudia rushes to my side and reaches to pick me up. I motion for her to stop.

"Haha…hahaha!" I laugh. I haven't laughed in four years; since four years ago, when my brother and I were a family.

"Miss Wilder, are you alright?"

"Yes!" I manage to stifle between fits of laughter. I sigh then, staring at the ceiling. "What a curious fate this web has woven me."

"I believe it's 'what a curious web fate has woven me.'" Claudia corrects me.

"What you said." I roll into fits of laughter again, barely able to breath.

"Miss Wilder…the king?"

"Ah, right." I say. I first erect my cane and use it as a lever to hoist myself up. I lean on Claudia as we go down the stares, the stained glass reflected on the pillar.

I had forgotten what a wonderful place Meltokio is. It is almost time for the Midsummer Festival. Everyone is walking around in colorful angel and butterfly costumes. It is break time for the maids of the castle. However, they all blend in with the midsummer costumes. 

Claudia helps me climb the marble staircase leading up to the castle gates. There are similar gates all around the town; I wonder if they are keeping the citizens in or evil out.

"Miss Seles Wilder?" the knight at the doorway asks. I nod. "Right this way."  
He opens the gates as another knight comes to take his place.

The inside of the castle is beautiful; I have only seen it twice before. The King of Tethe'alla sits on a throne inlaid with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Princess Hilda, his daughter, sits on his right. She fans herself with a fan of feathers. A golden crown similar to the king's sits on her head. Claudia and I bow.

"Greetings Miss Wilder." The king says. "I trust you are well."

"I'm getting by, your majesty." I reply.

"That's good to hear. I trust they are treating you well at the abbey?" he says.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, we have matters we must discuss. I've summoned you in regards to your brother, Zelos the Chosen."

I shudder at my brother's name. Has he been injured or killed? No, I tell myself. I drive away these endearing thoughts with those of what my mother did; and my mother did what she did because of Zelos. I shall bear no endearment toward him.

"The Chosen, sir?" I ask. I refuse to call him my brother.

"Not in direct regards to him, Seles." The king says. "See, the Elemental Research Academy in Sybak has been doing research on Zelos's Cruxis Crystal, and they are now finished with their research. Since the Chosen is not to receive the oracle until Tethe'alla begins to decline, we shall entrust the crystal to your care. I trust you have no objections?"

They're giving me the Cruxis Crystal? After all the fighting that we've had over it? There must be some hidden motive.

"No, your majesty," I reply, smiling. "I have no objections." 

"Fine then. Talk to the priest in the chapel. He is currently keeping the Cruxis Crystal. We're counting on you, Seles."

"Thank you, my lord." As I turn to leave, the king's knights open the doors for me once more. Just as the king is almost shut out, he shouts one final thing to me.

"Oh, and one more thing! We'll be stationing Papal Knights outside your dormitory in the abbey as a safety precaution!"

I turn to respond, but the doors have already closed.  
So that was it. This wasn't about me being the Chosen's sister; it was about being my mother's daughter. I guess I can't complain. I always complain about living in the Chosen's shadow; how nobody sees me for me. Now the have. Now Papal Knights will be stationed outside my room all night and day; to keep me in.

I suddenly know whether Meltokio's big brown gates are for keeping citizens in or evil out; they're for keeping the citizens in. 

Because the whole world is a prison.


End file.
